Welcome to Hillbans Pest Control - Hillbans Pest Control > Huck Nets Welcome to Hillbans Pest Control Hillbans have been providing high quality pest control services on the Isle of Wight since 1988 and remain the largest dedicated pest control company on the Island. We currently employ four service specialists, all of whom have either passed the RSPH/BPCA Certificate in Pest Control or are in the process of gaining that qualification. We have a 96% customer satisfaction rating and offer a guaranteed 24/7 response to our contract customers. We have professional relationships with some of the leading experts in the pest control field including consultant Environmental Health officers, entomologists and field biologists to back our team of already experienced technical staff. To find out further information please contact us . Don't let pests ruin your business Without effective control, pests have the potential to: Increase contamination and spread disease Cause costly damage to your property and product or stock held Destroy your reputation If you followed a fly for a day, you wouldn't want to eat for a week! Insects, rodents and birds can easily contaminate food, operation equipment and work surfaces with their excreta, hairs or body parts, giving rise to 'foreign body' complaints.

Many carry bacteria or possibly parasites which may be passed on to humans, increasing the public health risk. The Health and Safety at Work Act ensures that the working environment does not contain any hazards that may affect the health of employees. In the food sector the Food Safety Act goes further to cover any vehicles used to carry food, as well as the production process for food itself. Due diligence requires that premises are kept as pest-free as is practicable. The penalties for failure to comply can be severe - complete and immediate closure of premises; fines of up to ï¿½20,000 or up to six months in prison! Copyright © 2008 Hillbans Pest Control Limited - 7 Lake Industrial Way, Lake, Isle of Wight, PO36 9PL - 01983 406999 Isle of Wight Pest control with over 20 years of experience in Pest control services. We have a vast knowledge of controlling pests on the IOW TYPES OF PESTS RATS Rats like Mice need to keep their front teeth in shape through grinding on hard materials. Rats can be distinguished from mice as they are generally larger.

Rats have keen taste, hearing and a good sense of smell. They are good climbers and will climb to find food & shelter. Rats can enter buildings through openings larger than ½ inch across,. Their urine and droppings carry a number of different diseases harmful to humans such as wells disease. They also can cause damage to wiring in buildings. Treatments are undertaken by the use of tamper resistant bait stations containing poisoned food bait. Depending on the level of the infestation treatment varies between 14 – 28 days. We guarantee our treatment and will not finish the job until the problem is eradicated. MICE Mice like rats and need to keep their front teeth in shape through grinding on hard materials. Mice do not have the ability to control their bladder and constantly urinate which can contaminate food. It is possible for a young mouse to get through a gap of 6mm. Mice will build nests in hard to find places eg under floorboards, in cavities and loft spaces. Treatments are undertaken by the use of tamper resistant bait stations containing poisoned food bait. Depending on the level of the infestation treatment varies between 14 – 28 days.

We guarantee our treatment and will not finish the job until the problem is eradicated. COCKROACHES Cockroaches are a major health hazard in both commercial and domestic premises. They carry different diseases such as salmonella and dysentery. Cockroaches are nocturnally active and scavenge over wide areas. They will eat anything including themselves. There are two types of cockroaches found on the Isle of Wight, namely the German cockroach and the Oriental Cockroach. Oriental Cockroach The Oriental cockroach is found mainly in wall cavities and drains. It can be found mostly indoors but can be found outside in the summer months. The Oriental cockroach can grow up to an inch long. German cockroach German cockroaches mainly leave their harbourage at night when the lights are off. They sometimes can be spotted during daytime in search of food and water. German cockroaches like heat and are normally found close to radiators in ovens, microwaves and fridges. An adult German cockroach is a third of the size smaller than an Oriental cockroach and unlike the Oriental cockroach German cockroaches can climb smooth surfaces. Treatments due to the nature of these pests can take time to fully eradicate.

Therefore customer are advised that several treatments might be required. MOLES Moles are common particularly in areas of permanent grassland such as private gardens, lawns and fields. Moles have a highly developed sense of touch and hearing. Each mole inhabits its own underground tunnel system. It patrols these tunnels on a regular cycle looking for grubs and earthworms. Moles are most active just before sunset and just after sunrise. Their breeding season is between February to June. Moles can cause a lot of damage to your lawn when they come to the surface. Treatment involves trapping we use a variety of traps depending on each circumstance. We have an excellent track record and are accredited mole catchers. We only charge for each mole caught. ANTS Ants are a yearly problem to both residential and commercial premises. There are two types of ants that cause problems on the Isle of Wight, which are the black and red ants. Black ants Ant's nests are found in flower beds, under paving and at the base of walls. The worker ants normally invade properties in search of sweet substances during the spring and summer months. The Queen (winged) ants leave the nest to relocate during hot summer afternoons.

This can cause huge amounts of concern when at any one time thousands of flying ants can take to the air. Red ants Red ants are slightly smaller than black ants; their nests are found typically under paving stones or slabs. The red ant can deliver a painful sting which is injected with formic acid. Each nest can last for several years with up to 1000 worker ants at any time. All the eggs are laid by a single Queen. Treatment is by way of a spray which provides a barrier to insect entry. This will kill ants on contact; also ant traps can be used. FLIES HOUSEFLY The housefly is the most common fly occurring in homes and the most familiar of all flies. House flies can take in only liquid foods, they spit out saliva on solids foods to pre digest it and then suck it back in. They also vomit partially digested matter and eat it again. Blue bottle Types of blowfly are common in the house. Normally the female blowfly lays eggs on dead animals, they are attracted to rotting carcases from several miles away. Also other decomposing matter and faeces can be a breeding ground.

Blowfly infesting buildings can be a sign of dead rats or mice can be present Cluster Flies Cluster fly eggs are laid , in earthworms . They usually occupy wall voids and attics. They normally use the same structure year after year. They can become a problem in mild weather such as in autumn and springtime. In the autumn they enter to hibernate. On warm sunny autumn days and in the spring they begin to leave the structure. You find them in roft lofts and attic rooms. Once stimulated cluster flies seek ultra violet light. They can be found crawling around lamps and windows in vast numbers. Treatment is by way of smoke generators for loft areas, spray treatment, fly units or cluster busters. BED BUGS There has been an increase in bed bugs worldwide, including the Isle of Wight. This is due to the weather climate in the United Kingdom and people travelling more. They can be transmitted from hotel to hotel and domestic premises on furniture, clothing and luggage. Bed bugs spend most of their time hiding in cracks, crevices, furniture or bedding and remerge when hungry in search of a blood meal. They can ingest seven times their body weight in one meal.

Highly sensitive individuals will feel an unpleasant irritation following their bites. Treatment Is very labour and insecticide intensive and may require several treatments, client co operation is essential. A four hour exclusion time is required once treatment is complete. BROWN TAIL MOTH Brown tail moth eggs are laid July and August on the underside of leaves especially fruit trees. The eggs hatch in late August and September, the caterpillars immediately spin a "silken tent" which is used for shelter .They feed on the surrounding vegetation. The caterpillars grow to 1 ½ inches, after moulting they hibernate towards the end of October .the caterpillars then re emerge in April or early May to feed and make more tents. The caterpillars are very distinctive they are dark brown/black in colour with fire red stripes on their backs; their bodies are covered with long yellow hairs. The caterpillar hairs are an irritant to the skin. Avoid any contact or handling of the caterpillars. Keep windows closed near any infestation. People should seek medical attention if breathing problems occur or a skin irritation persists for more than a few hours. For any minor skin irritation use an antihistamine cream or calamine lotion.

Treatment during the spring and summer involves cutting out the tents and spraying the area with insecticide. WASPS The two main types of problem wasps on in the United Kingdom the common wasp and the German wasp. Both species of wasps are common throughout the Isle of Wight. Wasps are social insects, forming colonies inside nests specially constructed in the ground, in cavities, trees and walls and very frequently in roof spaces. Wasps are approximately 10 to 20mm long and have the famous black and yellow stripes. The main hazard form wasps is the risk of" anaphylactic shock" which can arise from a single wasp sting. Wasps also visit dustbins, waste depots and dead animal bodies which can lead to the spread of disease and contamination of food stuff. Treatment FLEAS The most common fleas found in houses and office are cat and dog fleas. Fleas have long legs that enable them to jump vertically . Fleas vary in colour from dark grey through to dark mahogany brown. Fleas are still very much disliked because of the bites they inflict and the deep rooted social stigma attached to humans with flea infestation.

When lava hatch the adult flea will remain dormant until stimulation of a potential host, this dormant stage can be for a considerable amount of time. Fleas need animal blood to breed Treatment A thorough treatment to all floor areas is required. We use the most up to date insecticide with hormone growth regulators to eradicate and break the life cycle of the flea. PIGEONS Feral pigeons have moved away from the coast to nest inland, they roost high up on buildings where their droppings carry a risk of disease and can damaged brick and stonework. They rely on the public for their food and feed on scraps, bread, cakes and bird seed given to them. Pigeons have become a pest fouling on buildings, pavements and gardens. The droppings contaminate, and transmit diseases. The best way to deter pigeons is y way of proofing the building. There are a variety and innovative measures for this such as bird netting, bird spikes, bird points, sprung pin and wire systems. We can offer a free no obligation quotation. FLY CONTROL Flies are a nuisance because of the disease they carry. It is vital to take prompt action to control flies especially in areas were food is prepared and packaged.

Island Pest Control can supply and install a comprehensive range of products such as electric fly units, glue fly control, discreet fly control, fly screen doors , fly screen windows and chain link curtains. We also fit and supply new fly unit tubes and offer a regular service plan to ensure your fly units are performing to their maximum potential. Isle of Wight Disease Isle of Wight (IoW) Disease Was it really as we are led to believe? As a teacher of beekeeping I regularly encourage beekeepers to challenge what they are told and not to blindly accept what is spoken or written. With experience and knowledge you can often spot things that don't add up. Over the years I have seen many reports of events that I have been involved in that haven't always conveyed the real truth. Very often two reports can be very different. This may be because it has been distorted or some critical information omitted. This could be for a number of reasons including editing, the person doing the writing not having much knowledge of the subject, them having an interest or due to writers copying others and putting a different slant on it by using different words.

There is a "standard" account of the Isle of Wight disease and it goes something like this........It was variously referred to as a disease, epidemic or malady of honey bees that appeared to have several different symptoms. This often resulted in the death of the colony, both summer and winter. Depending on the source, it appears to have first been noticed in about 1902 and lasted for about 20 years. It was described by many writers as "highly infectious" and was said to have caused the extinction of the "Old British Black" bees (Amm) . When I started beekeeping as a teenager in 1963 there were references to the Isle of Wight disease in all the books and there were still a number of beekeepers who had witnessed it. Although some were adamant it killed a lot of bees and was due to acarine , there were a number who said it didn't affect them very much. At the time I believed what I read and was convinced of the causes for several years, simply because it was in print. We were deluged with warnings about acarine and nosema (N apis) and told to treat with Frow mixture and FumidilB .

The person who largely taught me in my early years didn't treat, neither did I. With more experience and maturity I began to question things and realised I had never had a problem with acarine and only nosema once, when I bought 19 colonies that were derived from US package bees . It simply didn't add up to me. When I started beekeeping I knew a local farmer who had 3 empty WBC hives in a barn. He had kept bees, but they had died out several years previously. He wouldn't let me have them, even though he never intended to use them again because he said they had died of IoW disease and I would lose any bees I put in them! That man was probably born in the late 1920s, so his bees couldn't have had IoW disease. This shows how little ordinary beekeepers knew of the situation, how frightened they were and how myths are kept going. For some time now the standard account has been challenged, not least by Leslie Bailey and Brenda Ball of Rothamstead. Their research suggests there were possibly a number of causes, including viruses and has been widely publicised. See this page for references.

My own thinking is at a more basic level, but is based on over 50 years of dealing with a fairly large number of colonies and visiting other areas with different kinds of bees and different beekeeping methods. I tend to question and analyse most things and apply a bit of "Patterson's Logic". After keeping bees for some time unmedicated and without the signs of IoW disease, I started to think about it and do a bit more reading. There seemed to be several symptoms reported that suggested there may be more than one cause. In most accounts only acarine was mentioned and still is! In others nosema was mentioned. They have different symptoms and weren't supposed to be major problems during the summer when IoW often showed. I failed to understand why there was a major problem for 20 years that required Government assistance to replace colony losses when I hadn't experienced it. I recalled that the older beekeepers who said they had no problem with IoW disease tended to be the better beekeepers than those who said they lost a lot of bees. Despite all the warnings about acarine and nosema, I have only seen less than a handful of colonies die from acarine, none of them mine.

Nosema apis has similarly been little problem. It is my strongly held view that both of them are problems of colonies headed by recently imported queens, mainly Italians , not native bees or mongrels. This is based on what I have observed and the fact that when I started beekeeping it was soon after the vary hard 1962/63 winter. Many beekeepers bought imported queens, mainly Italians, and our West Sussex County Beekeeping Instructor said he had never seen so much acarine and nosema. This influx of imports was very similar to what happened during the IoW epidemic. Did history repeat itself to a degree? Those who said that the "Old British Black" (Amm) bees were susceptible to the IoW disease or had become extinct were often those with an interest, such as bee breeders and/or queen importers. What better way to promote your own products than to discredit what was already here? These people were often the big names in beekeeping at the time, so they were respected and believed. They certainly wouldn't get away with it nowadays. We must remember this happened when many beekeepers worked on the land, often six and a half days a week, with much longer days than we are used to.

After a day of hard physical work they probably did an hour or so in their vegetable gardens in the evenings, possibly until dusk. Many were still skeppists, or were in the process of converting to moveable frame hives. This change was happening at about the same time as IoW, but meant a much different approach from what they were used to. They had to learn a lot about the workings of a colony and how to manage it in a different way. With the rapid changes in colony management the beekeepers had to learn about simple things like feeding that are commonplace today, but was fresh ground to them. They may have been short of money to buy sugar and not aware that feeding had to be done early. Around the time of the first world war things must have been very hard with many beekeepers being killed in action. Their bees may have died through neglect and starvation. Certainly in the early 1960s few beekeepers used mouseguards, so it's reasonable to assume they weren't used 50 years earlier. If so, I wonder what state the hives were in after being left for several years.

If imports were used to make up for losses, it may be they were the bees that were susceptible to any acarine and nosema, not the native bees. We know that Italians (Aml) are especially prone to these diseases. It seems to me there was much more to the IoW disease than was written about at the time. Few people are likely to admit to neglecting their bees or not feeding them, so perhaps the IoW disease was a convenient way of describing their losses. This is not a deliberate attempt to rewrite history, but quite frankly I think the earlier accounts may be very inaccurate and I am simply questioning them, but based on discussions with beekeepers who had bees at the time, logic and over 50 years of not treating for the diseases that were supposed to have caused the problem. I feel I am justified in highlighting this, especially as others keep recycling the earlier accounts without giving much thought to it. Roger Patterson. Isle of Wight: Livestock disease spreads Livestock disease spreads Friday, January 11, 2013 A TENTH case of the Schmallenberg virus, which causes birth defects in livestock, has been identified on the Isle of Wight.

Four farming animals — one cattle and three sheep — were pregnant and birth defects were identified in the foetuses, while six other cattle showed the virus in their blood. There have been 976 cases of Schmallenberg nationally, with 89 recorded in Devon, 58 in Cornwall, 55 in East Sussex and 50 in Cheshire. As previously reported, the virus affects pregnant sheep, cows and goats and is spread by biting insects. According to the government's Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) it is believed to have blown across The Channel from Europe via midges and is unlikely to cause illness in humans. Caroline Knox, chair of the Isle of Wight National Farmers' Union (NFU) said her advice to farmers was to keep animals indoors during high risk periods. She added: "We will see more when lambing begins. My advice would be to spread the lambing, so when there are midges, not all animals are in the vulnerable stage at the same time. "Nationally it is a low impact disease, 0.4 per cent of sheep herds have been affected and 0.5 per cent of cattle have been affected.

The virus is not a risk for members of the public. "If an animal has had the virus before, it will build up a natural immunity to it so it won't get it again. Farmers should continue to report cases and have tests taken as it can be mistaken for other viruses." Isle of Wight Disease: Wiped Out The Bees Isle of Wight Disease: Wiped Out The Bees The Acarapis woodi mite became known as the Isle of Wight Disease in the early 1900s. We like to offer diverse news on the blog and sometimes find stories related to Ventnor or the island that are totally unexpected. Here’s one for example …. Norfolk and Suffolk beekeepers are suffering the heartache of having their hives decimated by a virulent pest. The growing national problem of the varroa mite becoming resistant to the most common pest control method was discussed at a meeting of more than 30 beekeepers in Stoke Holy Cross, near Norwich, on Saturday. What’s it got to do with us, you ask?

Well, not much, except that according to Fred Willis, secretary of Waveney Beekeepers’ Group, it is the “biggest crisis facing beekeepers since the so-called Isle of Wight disease wiped out bees in the early years of the last century” Yikes! For the fruit lovers among us, it may cause problems with fruit crops this year, particularly blackcurrants and gooseberries. Because of the varroa mite, there are no wild bees at the moment, so the kept bees are the only ones around. Let’s hope that this new disease doesn’t affect any of the bees on the island … we all need our honey. More details on Acarapis woodi, a little mite that lives in the bee’s airways, that in the early 1900s became know as the Isle of Wight Disease on Wikipedia National Geographic Magazine - NGM.com Building Bees Quest for a Superbee Can the world’s most important pollinators be saved? How scientists and breeders are trying to create a hardier honeybee. By Charles C. Mann Photographs by Anand Varma Brother Adam must have known he had become a beekeeper at an unlucky time.

It was 1915, and he was a 16-year-old novice at Buckfast Abbey in southwest England. Rapid bee die-offs have been recorded for centuries, but the catastrophe that confronted the young monk was unprecedented. A mysterious disease had wiped out almost every apiary on the Isle of Wight and now was devastating the rest of England. Brother Adam found his hives suddenly vacant, bees crawling beneath them, unable to fly. That year he lost 29 of the abbey’s 45 hives. Scientists eventually linked the disease to a previously unknown virus. But the research came too late to save Britain’s native dark brown honeybee. Almost all the surviving hives were hybrids, the progeny of local drones that mated with foreign-bred queens. The apparently superior vigor of these blends made Brother Adam think about breeding a disease-resistant bee. In 1950, after years of preparation, he finally got his chance.

Commandeering an old abbey car, he traveled over the next 37 years through Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, collecting more than 1,500 queens: the hardworking bees of northern Turkey, the hyper-diverse bees of Crete, the isolated bees of Sahara oases, the deep black bees of Morocco, the tiny orange bees of the Nile, the supposedly placid bees of Mount Kilimanjaro. He took his exotic menagerie to a remote station in the moors, miles from other bees with their unwanted genes. Performing countless breeding tests in pristine solitude, he created the Buckfast bee—a superbee, as it was quickly dubbed. Tan-colored and robust, it was reluctant to sting, zealously productive, and resistant to what had come to be called Isle of Wight disease. By the 1980s Buckfast bees were sold across the world. Bee breeders are rare. Brother Adam had become something even rarer: an apiculture celebrity. But honeybees were again under assault. An Asian mite with the evocative name of Varroa destructor had invaded Europe and America.

“Only a fully resistant, genetically endowed race or strain,” Brother Adam proclaimed in 1991, will be “the ultimate answer to this menace.” But before he could begin work, Buckfast’s abbot, convinced that Brother Adam’s growing fame conflicted with his vocation, removed him from his post. He died, heartbroken, in 1996. “Nobody really took his place at the abbey,” says Clare Densley, who two years ago restarted Buckfast’s storied beekeeping operation. All the while, conditions worsened in Beelandia. In 2007 reports of “colony collapse disorder”—swift, terrible deaths of entire colonies—suddenly mushroomed across Europe and the Americas. News reports called it a “threat to global agriculture” and an “unprecedented catastrophe for the planet.” The headlines were justified: Insect pollination, mostly from honeybees, is critical to one-third of the world’s food supply. Bee researchers, many inspired by Brother Adam, rushed to understand colony collapse.

Most have concluded it is not a single problem, as first thought, but a lethal amalgamation of pests, pathogens, habitat loss, and toxic chemicals; varroa mites are a critical component. Most large-scale beekeepers now use pesticides to kill the mites—a stopgap solution, at best. To avoid chemicals, some bee researchers are returning to Brother Adam’s approach: Superbee Version 2.0. Only this time, they are using the tools of big science, including genetic modification. Others tout the opposite approach, one even more natural than Brother Adam’s. No chemicals, no manipulation—let the bees evolve on their own! “Unfortunately, none of these approaches has yet produced a sufficiently mite-resistant and productive bee. And by ‘sufficiently’ I mean a bee that’s a game changer,” Keith Delaplane, director of the University of Georgia’s honeybee program, told me. Meanwhile, he says the pressures on the bee are enormous. “I stand in front of beekeepers and say, ‘You all tell me the success stories.’ I do not see any hands going up.” Honeybees are superorganisms. Honeybees are hive minds.

Honeybees are linguistic networks: One of the few nonhuman animals to communicate symbolically, they dance to explain the location of food to their fellows. Bee people use such metaphors but admit they don’t quite capture these complex, fascinating creatures and their ultra-organized communities. With a population of up to 80,000, a beehive is like a small human city. Bumbling and buzzing, these industrious animals—Apis mellifera, as scientists call them—search flowers for tiny drops of a sugary secretion called nectar. Bees slurp the nectar into their “honey stomachs,” which break down the sugars. Inside the hive they regurgitate the goop and fan it with their wings to evaporate the water. The sweet, gluey result—honey—is stored for winter food or stolen by humans. A pound of clover honey, ecologist Bernd Heinrich has estimated, “represents the food rewards from approximately 8.7 million flowers.” When you watch bees single-mindedly labor to make honey, it’s hard to believe that their greatest role in nature is something they are entirely unaware of: distributing pollen.

Pollen is, in effect, the male part of a plant; it transfers DNA to the female part of the flower, an essential step in reproduction. Plants can disperse pollen by wind or animals, usually insects. As Apis mellifera hunts for nectar in flowers, pollen grains stick to its hairy body. When it visits more flowers, some of the pollen drops off, fertilizing the plant. Plants that rely on wind emit vast clouds of pollen, hoping a few grains will drift into other flowers. From an evolutionary point of view, harnessing insects is so much more efficient that insect-pollinated plants typically make one-thousandth as much pollen as their wind-dependent cousins. Not until I visit Adam Novitt do I understand how all this works. Novitt, a beekeeper in Northampton, Massachusetts, keeps hives in his small urban backyard. His is an artisanal, locavore operation—“I’m at constant risk of sounding like an extra in Portlandia,” he says, referring to the hipster-skewering television series. Each jar of his Northampton Honey is labeled with the zip code where his bees labored. Novitt endured a two-year wait to obtain his much-in-demand Buckfast queens.

Demonstrating their gentleness, he removes the tops from his hives without gloves or veil. A barnyardy smell—wax and honey and wood—rises into the air. On the combs the bees tumble over each other like children at a day care center. Some of Novitt’s bees are stippled with reddish, pinhead-size dots: Varroa destructor. The mites latch on like ticks or leeches, draining bloodlike hemolymph from their hosts and enfeebling their immune systems. The hive environment—steamy and warm, bees in constant contact—is as perfect for bee pathogens as a day care center is for human pathogens. “The mite opens up the road; the bacteria or fungus or virus does the rest,” Novitt says. He snaps his fingers. “Pfft!—colony collapse.” Before varroa, he tells me, beekeeping was mostly a matter of bee-having—“they needed minimal attention, most of the time.” Since the mite arrived, “you really have to keep them.” Beekeeping, he says, should actually be called “mite management.” Most farmers facing insect issues turn to chemicals, such as the pesticides sprayed on apple trees to control maggots.

Even though mites and bees are more closely related than apples and maggots, chemical firms have discovered a dozen or more effective miticides. The chemicals are widely used, but not a single bee researcher, commercial beekeeper, or bee hobbyist I spoke with was happy about putting toxins into hives. In addition, scientists report, many varroa are already resistant to commercial miticides. A different, potentially nontoxic treatment is envisioned by Beeologics, an arm of the agribusiness giant Monsanto, which uses RNAi (the last letter stands for “interference”). RNA molecules in cells carry the information from genes—that is, particular segments of DNA molecules—to the cellular machinery that makes proteins, the chemical building blocks of life. Each protein has a unique makeup, as do its associated RNA and gene. In RNA interference, cells are targeted with a substance designed to attack a specific variant of RNA. Crippling that RNA snaps the link between a gene and its protein. In the Beeologics version, bees would be fed sugar water containing RNAi, which disables mite RNA. In theory the doctored sugar water should not affect the bee.

But when mites drink the bees’ hemolymph, the mites will also take in RNAi—and it should affect them. It’s as if you could kill vampires by eating pizza with garlic sauce. Jerry Hayes of Monsanto Honey Bee Health hopes to have something on the market within five to seven years. The biggest challenge, he says, is creating a stable product—something beekeepers “can ride around with in a truck in Montana when it’s a hundred degrees out.” Problem is, Marla Spivak says, RNAi is still a single-purpose tool. Spivak, of the University of Minnesota, is the only bee researcher ever to receive a “genius” grant from the MacArthur Foundation. “If you target one specific area,” she argues, “the organism will always make an end run around it.” Staving off the beepocalypse, in her view, ultimately requires a “healthier, stronger” honeybee, one that can fight mites and disease on its own, without human assistance. In parallel efforts, two groups of researchers—Spivak and her collaborators, and John Harbo and his colleagues at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s research center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana—sought to breed mite-resistant bees.

Although their approaches were different, they took aim at the same target: “hygienic” bees. All Apis mellifera larvae grow in special cells in the comb, which adult bees fill with food and cap with wax. Mites enter the cells just before they are sealed and lay their eggs. When they hatch, the young mites feed on the helpless, immobile bee pupae. When the fully grown bee emerges into the hive, mites dot its back or belly. Unlike most honeybees, hygienic bees can detect mites inside sealed cells, probably by smell, then open the caps and remove infested bee pupae, interrupting the mite’s reproductive cycle. Spivak and Harbo both succeeded in breeding versions of hygienic bees by the late 1990s. A few years after that, scientists realized that hygienic bees are less effective as the mites grow more numerous. How to overcome that remains uncertain, in part because the genetic basis of hygienic behavior is not yet understood. Similar problems beset another breeding target: grooming. By running their middle legs over their bodies, honeybees tidy themselves and each other.

If bees groom before mites attach themselves, they can dislodge the pests. An obvious goal is a hygienic bee that grooms intensively. But breeders fear they will produce bees that primp constantly, like vain adolescents. And always there is the worry that breeding for one trait will compromise others—that hygienic bees, for instance, will be aggressive or make little honey. Ultimately, solving these quandaries will require molecular biology, argues Martin Beye, a geneticist at Heinrich Heine University in Düsseldorf, Germany. To a geneticist, blindly breeding two bees that have a desired trait is like banging together two handfuls of marbles and scooping up the result. It’s much more effective to identify specific genes responsible for the desired traits and insert them. A consortium of more than a hundred researchers decoded the honeybee genome in 2006. Beye was part of the group. The next step, in his view, would be to identify genes that influence certain behaviors—and, if needed, modify them. Although scientists had produced transgenic insects since the early 1980s, all attempts to insert genes into Apis mellifera had failed.

Beye assigned the task of discovering a method to a young researcher, Christina Vleurinck. Science is like moviemaking: The result can be exciting, but the process is excruciating. Vleurinck had to extract eggs from a colony, inject genetic material (in this case a gene that makes certain tissues glow under fluorescent light), and reinsert the eggs into the hive. Time after time the new genes didn’t take. Poking needles into the eggs often resulted in damaged embryos. Worker bees swiftly killed them. It was like having thousands of tiny critics, each with the ability to close the show. With Beye and two other collaborators, Vleurinck gradually developed a successful technique. Still, it will take years of work before the method can be used to develop a better bee. And releasing genetically modified bees is bound to be controversial. “This is new ground,” Beye says. “People will want to be careful.” Vleurinck’s bees are kept in a tent, sealed off from the outside world, as required by German laws about transgenic organisms. During my visit a staffer takes me into the tent, extracts a comb from a Styrofoam bee box, and lets me inspect it.

It is covered with genetically modified bees. To my untrained eye, they look exactly like ordinary bees, except unhappier. When not allowed to fly freely, bees get grouchy. In the course of her research, Vleurinck was stung so many times she became allergic to bee venom. “I’m not allowed inside with them,” she says. All of this makes Phil Chandler, the author of The Barefoot Beekeeper, roll his eyes. A preacher in the Church of Everything You Know Is Wrong, he argues that too many scientists, even if well-meaning, are effectively part of the problem. “We cannot solve our difficulties by using the type of thinking that created them,” Chandler says. He’s referring to the “persistent delusion” that humans can control nature. Better bees can be built, he believes, but only by bees themselves. The biggest enemy of honeybees, he contends, is not mites or viruses but industrial agriculture. Many scientists ruefully agree. The disagreement comes over what to do about it. A century ago many crops were still pollinated by feral bees. Then family farms turned into agribusiness operations.

Bees need to forage for food much of the year, but fields devoted to single crops typically have flowers for just a few weeks, while weeds that could tide bees over are killed by herbicides. So few bees now exist that farmers must rent hives from huge commercial outfits that transport them from crop to crop in 18-wheelers. The peak or nadir occurs every February and March, when about 1.6 million hives from all over converge on California’s Central Valley to pollinate almonds. In a few frenzied weeks, the hordes help produce about 80 percent of the world’s almond supply. I meet Chandler near Buckfast Abbey, at a gathering of beekeepers. Many around him agree with his diagnosis. Still, they look vexed when he says that the best thing to do for varroa would be … nothing. Keep bees healthy and well fed, but let evolution work. For ten years or more, beekeepers might lose most of their bees, he concedes. But natural selection would eventually lead to some kind of resistant bee. “We have to think of these issues in terms of what is best for bees,” he says.

“Not what is best for us.” Chandler is not optimistic about the future for Apis mellifera; Densley, the Buckfast Abbey beekeeper, is worried, but more hopeful. To cheer them up, I tell them about Harvard University’s RoboBee project: an effort to create tiny, pollinating drones. In principle, the technology is feasible. Autonomous robots identify flowers by color, hover above them, and insert soft probes that pick up pollen. It might take the pressure off real bees, I suggest. Chandler doesn’t look reassured. Densley too seems less than enthusiastic. “I’m not ready for a world of mechanical bees,” she says. “I think I like the ones we have.” She, like other bee people, is waiting for something to happen. Charles C. Mann’s latest book is 1493: Uncovering the New World Columbus Created. Anand Varma, a biologist who raised bees for this story, specializes in photographs that illuminate science. The Future of Food This story is part of National Geographic’s Future of Food initiative , a special five-year project that seeks to show how what we eat makes us who we are. | Diseases : For beekeepers : ...

: The Laboratory of Apiculture and Social Insects : University of Sussex Diseases Diseases Honey bees are prone to a number of pests and diseases, which can range in severity from a minor nuisance which may slightly reduce honey yield, to conditions that will rapidly kill colonies. They can usually be divided into diseases of the brood, or diseases of adult bees, but a few such as Varroa affect both. In addition, in many cases, pests and diseases may interact with each other, increasing their harmful effects. American Foulbrood (AFB) A disease of the sealed brood, caused by the spore forming bacterium Paenibacillus larvae. Affected larvae die and decompose to foul smelling fluid which can be drawn out as a string. They then dry out to a hard scale which remains in the cell. Cappings look sunken and greasy. The disease is very infectious, and spores can infect equipment for up to 60 years. A Statutory Notifiable Disease. If you suspect AFB, you must immediately contact your local Fera Bee Inspector . Colonies in which AFB is confirmed will be destroyed and burnt. Fortunately the incidence of AFB in Britain is currently low.

European foulbrood (EFB) A disease of the unsealed brood, caused by the non-spore forming bacterium Melissococcus plutonius. Secondary bacteria are usually also present. Affected larvae starve and turn a brownish colour, often appearing contorted, and often with unpleasant smell. The disease is infectious, and equipment can remain infective for several years. A Statutory Notifiable Disease. If you suspect EFB, you must immediately contact your local Fera Bee Inspector . Colonies in which EFB is confirmed will either be destroyed and burnt, if infection is severe, or treated using an antibiotic or the "shook swarm technique". Despite Statutory control for 70 years, the incidence of EFB in Britain remains high. A very poorly understood disease, and much more research is needed. Chalkbrood Chalkbrood is an infectious disease of honey bee larvae caused by a fungus called Ascosphaera apis. A disease of the sealed brood caused by the fungus Ascosphaera apis. Affected larvae die and dry out to a hard white or greyish “mummy”. Common in many colonies, especially in spring.

Not generally considered very important, but unusually may cause the death of a significant proportion of the brood. No treatment is available in Britain, but thymol may reduce its incidence. Some strains of bee seem to be more susceptible than others. Sacbrood A disease of the sealed brood caused by the sacbrood virus. Affected larvae die and dry out to a black scale with a “Chinese slipper” appearance. Not very common in Britain, but certain strains of bee seem to be more susceptible than others. Little research has been carried out. No treatment is available in Britain. Varroa Varroa mites on the back of a worker honey bee. Probably the most serious pest of honey bees worldwide. The parasitic mite Varroa destructor was discovered in Britain in 1993. The female mites can live on adult bees, sucking their blood, and then enter brood cells to reproduce. Mite populations can build up very rapidly. Although the mite alone appears to have little effect, it can transmit a range of normally innocuous bee viruses, which can rapidly kill colonies. These include acute bee paralysis virus, deformed wing virus, Kashmir bee virus, and slow paralysis virus.

Control of Varroa is essential for colony survival. The first generation of synthetic pyrethroid chemicals are now generally ineffective, so most beekeepers use natural oils and acids such as thymol and oxalic or formic acid. Many commercial formulations are available worldwide, but there is little choice of effective treatments in Britain, so colony losses continue. Much research is being carried out into alternative treatments, and breeding for hygienic behaviour is now taking place at the University of Sussex. Photo credit Nosema disease Caused by the microsporidian fungus Nosema apis, this has long been a common infection in Britain, especially in the Spring. The parasite invades the gut and shortens the life of infected bees. It produces spores which remain infective for several years and may be spread by dysentery. In 2007, a second species Nosema ceranae was confirmed in Britain. Scientists in Spain have found this to be associated with the dramatic loss of bee colonies, but elsewhere it does not appear to be serious. More research is needed. The disease can be treated with the antibiotic fumagillin.

Tracheal mite (acarine disease) A parasitic mite Acarapis woodi which lives in the breathing tubes of adult bees, and sucks the blood of the bee. Heavily infested bees have a shortened life and heavily infested colonies are more likely to die in the spring. Not now generally common in Britain, but may increase if a high density of colonies are kept in an area. No treatment is available in Britain. Amoeba disease A protozoan Malpighamoeba mellificae lives in the malpighean tubules of bees, and produces infective cysts. Believed to shorten the life of infected bees, but generally not considered very important, and little research has been carried out. Commonly found in association with Nosema. No treatment is available in Britain. Viruses Apart from sacbrood, and the viruses associated with Varroa mentioned above, there are a number of other viruses which occur in bees in Britain. Chronic bee paralysis virus causes crawling of infected bees, and can occasionally kill colonies, as in the “Isle of Wight Disease”. Most other viruses have no symptoms, and have been little studied, but may shorten the life of bees.

Black queen cell virus and bee virus Y are associated with Nosema infections, and may increase their harmful effects. Some such as cloudy wing virus occur very commonly, but their effects and mode of transmission are unknown. Much more research is needed. Poisoning At various times in Britain, serious losses of honey bees have been caused by poisoning by agrochemicals, in particular insecticides applied to orchards or oilseed rape. Better education of spray operators, and safer chemicals have led to recent losses being at a very low level. If spray poisoning is suspected, contact your local Fera Bee Inspector , who will collect a sample for chemical analysis (a free service). In recent years a new class of chemicals, the neo-nicotinoids have been blamed for colony losses, especially in France. There is no evidence that they have caused colony losses in Britain . "Colony Collapse Disorder" A term coined by scientists in the USA to describe a specific set of symptoms in colonies suffering unexplained sudden losses from 2006 onwards. The terms should not be used to describe all colony losses.

The cause remains unknown, but the losses were almost certainly due to a combination of factors, including pests such as Varroa, diseases such as Israeli acute paralysis virus or Nosema, in combination with husbandry factors such as the long distance movement of hives, and environmental factors such as a reduction in bee forage. "Parasitic Mite Syndrome" A term coined by scientists in the USA in the 1990s to describe a specific set of symptoms associated with infestations of the parasitic mites Varroa and / or the tracheal mite. These symptoms are now known to be caused by viruses such as acute bee paralysis virus, deformed wing virus, and Kashmir bee virus. "Isle of Wight Disease" A disease of unknown origin, which devastated British beekeeping in the early 20th century. Characterised by crawling bees, unable to fly, which died suddenly in large numbers. At first thought to be caused by Nosema, and then generally agreed to be due to tracheal mites.

Now considered to have been caused by a combination of multiple factors, principally chronic bee paralysis virus, together with poor weather conditions, and an excess of bee colonies being kept for the amount of forage available. Wax moth There are two species of wax moth found in Britain, both of which will attack wax comb and build silk lined tunnels. The lesser wax moth (Achroia grisella) is generally not a problem, but may damage the visual appearance of cut comb honey for sale or exhibition. The greater wax moth (Galleria mellonella), on the other hand, can be a serious pest, especially in warm conditions, damaging supers stored for extraction, or stored equipment. As well as destroying wax, the moth larvae will excavate cavities in woodwork. Careful hygiene and management of spare equipment is essential to avoid damage. Generally, healthy honey bee colonies can suppress, but not eliminate infestations. Can be treated with Bacillus thuringiensis. Other pests Fortunately bears and honey badgers, which cause destruction of beehives in other countries, do not occur in Britain.

In winter, when the bees cannot protect themselves, hives can be attacked by field mice (Apodemus sylvaticus) and woodpeckers (Picus viridis), so guards are needed to prevent damage . Exotic pests There are two serious Statutory Notifiable Diseases which are not currently thought to occur in Britain. The small hive beetle (Aethina tumida) is found in southern Africa where it is not considered a serious pest, but when accidentally introduced into the southern USA, it caused serious problems. It multiplies in huge numbers, eats bee brood and destroys combs. When accidentally introduced into Australia the effects have been more variable, so its impact in Britain if introduced is unclear. Two infestations in Portugal have been discovered and destroyed in recent years, so introduction in Britain is highly likely, as it may be accidentally introduced on e.g. fruit imports. The parasitic mites Tropilaelaps clareae and Tropilaelaps koenigerum were originally pests of other Asian species of honey bee, but also affect Apis mellifera, where it is a more serious pest than Varroa. Potentially a serious pest if introduced into Britain, but as yet has not spread outside Asia.

Question: Which insect does Isle of Wight Disease affect?
Answer: BEE